I wanted to read Give in order to learn how to give more authentically. In many ways the book was what I expected in terms of learning to give according to your values and to give freely in every sense of the word. Had that been all there was, I would have been satisfied with the book and then put it down and promptly forgotten about it.

This book rose above my expectations for two main reasons. The first of these was the importance of giving to oneself. I think many people, myself included, tend to put self-nurturing last on their ever increasing to-do lists. What Ms Harper does beautifully is to challenge this notion that “spoiling” ourselves is somehow wanton. She reminds, or in some cases teaches, us that only when we are kind to ourselves, when we allow ourselves time to replenish and heal and even maybe have a little pampering are we in any way able to give to others. And the better we treat ourselves, the better we will be equipped to give to others. I found this to be a very powerful message and one that I have already started to incorporate into my daily habits.

The book also looks at various types of inauthentic giving and that’s where it started to get uncomfortable. I certainly recognized some of the not-so-pleasant aspects of my personality in one of the types, and it was not entirely pleasant reading! Whilst I identified a lot more with one of the types, there were ideas and suggestions that resonated with me in each of the chapters. By saying this was an uncomfortable read, by no means am I implying any criticism of the book. When I read these types of books, I want to be made uncomfortable, to be provoked, to have my actions challenged (albeit gently, which is exactly how Ms Harper does it) as it is these feelings that can provide the impetus for lasting change.

On the strength of this book, I will definitely read more by Ms Harper . . . On an Amazon style review, I would give this 4 stars.

Aloha Jack and Sammy, along with their lovable dog Coco, go to the beach expecting a wonderful day of surfing and playing in the deep blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. Instead, they find a treasure map that leads them on an adventure to Haleakala National Park on the beautiful Hawaiian Island of Maui. During their quest, Aloha Jack and Sammy face the dilemma of doing the right thing, something many of us face in our daily lives. Will they make the right decision?

Renowned investigative journalist Nikki Bradley is at the height of her career. When she tenaciously braves the remote jungles of Columbia on an assignment with personal motives, her profession seems to become less important. After her brother dies of an expected cocaine overdose, Nikki has one thing on her mind: to find the man responsible for her brother’s death, expose him, and ruin him. Her dangerous traipse through the jungle on a quest to avenge her brother’s death brings her face to face with one of Columbia’s biggest cocaine operations. When she is caught taking pictures on the outskirts of the camp, she is taken prisoner by one of the leaders, a menacing drug trafficker determined to claim her as his own. An innocent pawn in a deadly game at the mercy of her captor, a mysterious and impossibly handsome man named King, Nikki must decide whether to abort her mission and surrender, or risk her life to expose her brother’s killer.

Mercedes Fuentes, or Mousy Mercy as she often refers to herself, has buried herself in academia in order to avoid those frightening creatures that make up the other half of the human population: MEN! When an opportunity to pay off the majority of her student debt is offered to her by a family friend, Mercy has her doubts. But how can she refuse a weeklong date with a handsome man, at the end of which she will be nearly free of all debt? Enter the seemingly innocuous, over-worked oil tycoon Wulf Rheinhart, a man in need of a fake fiancée for a week in order to close a business deal with a family-oriented Texan. One charade leads to another in this fast paced car chase of a romance where no one is who they seem to be.

Lord John, the earl of Farleigh–his giant frame scarred by battles fought as a mercenary knight–returns home to England to claim his unexpected inheritance. But now he must battle against the wicked baron Elwood of Eye and a woman with an inner strength to match his own who dares to love him. Lady Gwyneth–her willfulness and deceit borne not of treachery–determines to wed the new earl in her sister’s stead. Expecting nothing but cruelty at her husband’s hand, she is surprised to find herself the recipient of that which she has so often given but never received: love. But Gwyneth has dark secrets that will inevitably be revealed, secrets that will test the strength of their love.

Chandler Santell avoids men–especially the rich and powerful ones who believe more in money than in people. Desperate to save her struggling Yoga and Arts Center, her last hope is the most powerful man in the finance industry, a man reputed to have a “Heart of Steel.” Logan Grant knew he was in trouble the moment Chandler Santell walked into his office. He agrees to her crazy deal only when she risks all and guarantees him a profit. Behind the scenes, a dangerous game of love, power, and greed begin to play out–a game Chandler knows nothing about. The payoff is worth millions to the man who can win Chandler’s heart. But is love worth the price?

All that stands between Sir Judson Langley and his chance to inherit Cresswell Castle is the truth, and a beautiful young serving woman with a secret…

Judson Langley yearns for lands of his own. Sent to Cresswell Castle by Lady Emily Goodfife to prove her great-granddaughter is alive, Judson is torn between greed and his obligation to Lady Emily.If he proves the girl, Arian Goodfife, is dead, he stands to inherit Cresswell. Judson expects to encounter the castellan’s hostility, but not the loss of his heart to an enchanting serving girl. How could he know that the secret she hides threatens to tear all his dreams asunder?

Arian Goodfife, rightful heiress of Cresswell, lives in the shadows, dirty and wretched. After her mother’s suicide, her cruel stepfather claimed to all that Arian died in a fire. Her identity stripped away, she trusts no one. Driven by the desire to regain Cresswell, she vows to depose her stepfather. Then a dark, handsome knight named Judson arrives, making another claim on her lands. Though he touches a place in her heart she thought had turned to stone, Arian realizes the peril she would face were Judson to discover her true identity. Is Judson an angel or a devil? Only a miracle of love will answer her question.

Published in April, Adam Soul’s work looks not to the satanic or overly biblical undercurrents of the riddle of 666, but rather, he presents a new perspective of the fate of human kind and our planet, making this topic understandable for anyone, no matter beliefs or background. His illuminating interpretation suggests a change in our way of life to avoid human extinction, and to begin a journey toward betterment for the planet.

Two female teachers are camping in the wilderness at the junction of Wayah Mountain and the Appalachian Trail. One is murdered and the other disappears without a trace. Through a series of discoveries, the mystery begins to unravel with the help of the husband of the murdered woman. For two years, lawmen chase the case, and the serial killer whom they must extract from his cliff hideaway in the Nantahala National Forest.
Based on actual events, ‘The Owl Knows’ is a story of mystery, friendship, and love amidst the background of the Appalachian Mountains.

Jeremy Hart, a senior prosecutor in the LA District Attorney’s office, is a young widower whose grief counselor sends him to a charity party to jump-start his social life. At the party, he meets Claire, a young married woman with two small children who is trapped in a loveless marriage to Peter, a very wealthy and abusive man. When a courtship develops between Jeremy and Claire, Claire’s violent husband Peter discovers the affair. After a brutal beating, Claire confides to Jeremy that she believes that Peter is planning on taking her life. When Claire’s husband is found shot to death in the driveway of his home, detective Ulysses S. Gibson and his partner Jennifer Donahue are called to investigate the murder. For the prosecutor, the crime is an easy conviction when all the leads of the investigation point to Jeremy. For detectives Gibson and Donahue, nothing is so obvious. How are these individuals connected? And what of the death of Jeremy’s wife, Elizabeth, years go? Gibson and Donahue keep the scales of justice in balance as they discover everyone’s ‘Hidden Agenda.’

A very intriguing read, Peter Berman pulls you in from the word “go.” And, yet he never truly reveals everything all at once – he instead chooses to hint at how everything will play out until the last several chapters of the book, when the questions of how everything intersects is finally answered. Even then, not all of the questions the reader has will be answered . . . .

I was pulled in immediately and did my best not to ‘see the trees for the woods’ – I tried instead to read between the lines, however the twists and turns this story took kept interrupting my line of thought, which then caused me to re-think where I was going with it. I was so intrigued by the book that I could not put it down – I just had to know how it was going to play out. . . . I highly suggest setting aside a large block of time to read Hidden Agenda. You will need it.